Tooth brush



Sept 28, 1937. G. HERRICK ET Al. 2,094,240

TOOTH BRUSH l Filed Jan. 31, 195e Patented Sept. 28,v i937 UNiTEosTATEs PATENT oFFlcE Toorn mman AApplication January.31, 1936, Serial No. 61,792 7 claims. (ci. 15-16'1) This invention relates to improvements in toothbrushes and particularly to the handles for such brushes. A

It contemplates the provision of a toothbrush with a handle so disposed with relation to the bristle carrying head as to serve as a guide to the user in naturally presenting the bristles to the surface to be brushed without distortion of the hand and wrist of the user.

vAnother object is to provide cooperative means whereby the manipulation of the brush is made easy and the hand-grip battered by registering the position of the index linger and thumb of the hand operating the brush. A feature of the invention, in this connection, is the arrangement of the head and handle on a common longitudinal axis so that the handle may be readily manipulated by the fingers and thumb to cause the bristles of the head to produce a desirable massagingr action. 'I'he attainment of these objects is particularly valuable in educating the novice in the use of the brush, in part due to the unconscious handling as a result of the structure as hereinafter described in detail.

The accompanying drawing referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of a modified'form, and

Fig. 5 is illustrative of the brush in position for use.

'Ihe improved brush comprises. a head. 6 within which' are suitably mounted a plurality of tufts of bristles 1. For the' purposes of description, the greatest area of the head 6 will be hereinafter referred to as the horizontal plane of the brush and the direction of projection of the bristle tufts 1 as the vertical plane of the brush. 'I'he .head 6 extends rearwardly to the pointsnB-VB where it tapers sharply to form a neck 9. Just beyond the neck 9, as shown at III, the handle portion of the brush is extended at an angle of approximately 45 to the horizontal plane of the brush, best illustrated in Figures 2, 3, and 4.

This angularity. just described, is formed about a common longitudinal axis through the handle and the brush head 6, asldes'cribed hereafter. The handle portion of the brush is thus disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the vertical plane of the brush, or to the line of ver'- tical projection of the bristle tufts 1. It has been found that the recited angular relationships are the most desirable, but departure may be made therefrom.

From the point of angular displacement III the handle gradually widens in cross section, as at II-II, until the point I2 of greatest width is reached. Here, in the preferred form, a pair of suitably shaped shallow cavities I3 are formed l in the handle, such cavities I3 being substantially opposed, of such configuration, and so disposed as to receive the thumb of va user in one cavity I3 and the finger of a user in the other cavity I3 when the brush is held in the hand for a brushing operation.' Figure 5 illustrates this.

The `floor of each cavity I3 :is formed with a.`

plurality of ridges.l I4 defining intermediate grooves I5 presenting a non-slipping surface for engagement by the users finger and thumb.

In the modified form, shown in Figure 4, only one cavity I3 is utilized and the non-slip feature is omitted presenting a smooth surface I6 upon the iioor of cavity I3. y 1

From the point I2 the handle, designated as a whole by the numeral I1, gradually tapers in its horizontal width to the end I8, adjacent to which is an opening I9 for convenience in suspending the brush when not vin use. The edges of the handle I1 ,are slightly beveled, as at 20, 2|, forming an intermediate portion 22, all meeting lines being slightly rounded so that, while defining the portions 20, 2l and 22, the edges of the handle are not sharp, but present a gradual curve to the hand of the user. This treatment of the handle edges starts at the point 94 and extends to the end I8 of the handle I1. l

The handle and head are made of any suitable material, preferably vmoldedin one piece, the bristles being applied to the head in the usual manner. As seen in Figure 5, it will be apparent that, with a brush embodying the herein described features, the bristles will be properly presented to the teeth, the operating hand assuming a natural and comfortable position lwithout the cramping distortion of the wrist usually resulting from the use of toothbrushes of the ordinary construction.

We claim:

1. In a toothbrush an elongated head having a substantially flat face, a handle extending from one end of said head and having a pair of substantially at, broad, and substantially parallel sides, said head and handle having a common longitudinal axis, bristles protruding from said face of said head, the ends of said bristles pro- 'viding a working face the general plane of vwhich is substantially parallel with said ilat face of the head. the head and handle being so disposed with relation to each other that a plane passing through said axis parallel with theilat sides oi the handle is at a pronounced angle to a plane through said axis parallel with said ilat face of the head, the construction and arrangement being such that when the brush is held naturally between the thumb and lingers with the wrist of the user extended in its natural position the working face of said bristles will be presented.

directly toward the teeth.

2. In a toothbrush an'elongated head having a substantially fiat race, a handle extending from one end of said head and having a pair of substantially ilat, broad. and substantially parallel sides, said head and handle having a common longitudinal axis, bristles protruding from said face of said head, the ends of said bristles providing a working face the general plane of which is substantially parallel with said ilat face of the head, the head and handle being so disposed with relation to each other that a plane passing through said axis parallel with the flat sides of the handle is at an angle of about 45 to a plane through said axis parallel with said ilat face of the head, the construction and arrangement being such that when the brush is held naturally between the thumb and lingers with the wrist of the user extended in its natural position the Working face of said bristles will be presented directly toward the teeth.

3. In a toothbrush an elongated head having a substantially at face, a handle extending from one end oi said head and having a pair oi' substantially at and substantially Parallel sides, said head and handle having a common longitudinal i axis, bristles protruding from said face of said l head. the ends of said bristles providing a working face the general plane of which is substantially.

parallel with said ilat face of the head, the head and handle being so disposed with relation to 'of tor the reception of the end of one of the digits of the hand. l

4. A toothbrush comprising a substantially ilat, elongated head and o. relatively ilat handle, said head and handle 'seing connected end to end and having a common longitudinal axis, said head having a plurality v oi bristle tittts projecting therefrom, the ends of the bristle tufts providing a working face, the handle being twisted about said axis with respect to the vhead at a pronounced angle to dispose the general plane of said handle at a pronounced acute angle to the general plane of said working face.

5. A toothbrush comprising a substantially ilat. elongated head having bristles projecting from a lace thereof in a common direction, a relatively ilat, broad, handle extending from one end of said head and so constructed and arranged as to be received between the thumb and finger tips, said head and handle having a common longitudinal axis and being twisted with respect to each other about said axis, the general plane of said handle being disposed at a pronounced acute angle to the general plane of said head and to the direction in which said bristles project.

6. A toothbrush comprising a substantially flat, elongated head having bristles projecting yfrom a face thereof in a common direction, a relatively ilat handle extending from one end of said head, said head and handle having a common longitudinal axis and being twisted with respect to each other about said axis, the general plane of said handle being disposed at an angle of about 45 to thev direction in which said bristles project.

'7. A toothbrush comprising an elongated head having a longitudinally extending bristle receiving face, an elongated handle connected end to end with said4 head and having a common longitudinal axis therewith, bristles projecting from said i'ace of the head and providing a working face at their free ends, the handle being relatively broad and iiat and having faces adapted to be held between the thumb and fingers, the general plane of said handle being at a pronounced acute angle to said face of the head, the construction and arrangement being such that when the handle is so held and the wrist is extended naturally said working face of the bristles will be presented directly toward the teeth.

G. LESLIE HERRICK. JOSEPH P. HARDIE. AR'IHUR COBB. JR. 

